Mo Yan to talk about literature, hometown in Nobel speech

2012-12-05 02:44:02 GMT2012-12-05 10:44:02(Beijing Time)SINA.com

Mo Yan (R), this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, receives media interviews before leaving for Sweden to accept the award, at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 5, 2012. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Mo Yan (L), this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, as he is to leave for Sweden to accept the award Dec. 5, 2012. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Mo Yan (front), this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, as he is to leave for Sweden to accept the award, Dec. 5, 2012. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Mo Yan (2nd R), this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, as he is to leave for Sweden to accept the award, Dec. 5, 2012. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

By Yuan Yue, Sina English

Nobel laureate Mo Yan is leaving for Sweden today to accept the award, according to his friend, who also reveals Mo plans to talk about literature and his hometown in his acceptance speech.

Mo Yan, a pseudonym for Guan Moye, was born in 1955 and grew up in Gaomi County, Shandong Province. He was announced as this year's winner of Nobel Prize in Literature by the Swedish Academy on Oct. 11.

He is bringing 13 companions with him, as it is, including his wife, daughter, a friend, nine translators, as well as Shao Chunsheng, an official from the municipal administration of radio, film and television in the city of Gaomi.

Mo will address the Swedish of Academy at 17:30 on Dec. 7 local time(00:30 Dec. 8, BJT); and he plans to cover the topic of world literature, Chinese literature, according to Chen Liming, Mo's friend and the chairman of Classics Bowei, a publishing company.

He would also talk about Beijing and Gaomi, both places he used to live in. "It is supposed to be a beautiful speech, and very representative," says Chen. "The speech will go down in history."

Chen also says Mo Yan is "relatively busy" at this stage, but he looks forward to share this moment with his friends and translators.

Mo's Nobel wardrobe to span styles of East, West

Sina English

The sartorial puzzle is solved: Mo Yan, this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, is taking five outfits in both traditional Chinese and Western styles to receive the award.

Mo's wardrobe for the trip became the subject of much Internet debate in China, with some unhappy over earlier reports he would wear a tuxedo because it wouldn't be uniquely Chinese.

China's first Nobel laureate will leave today for Sweden with his wife and daughter. Translators for several languages including English will accompany him, said Shao Chunsheng, an official with Mo's hometown of Gaomi City in Shandong Province.

"He may dress in a tailor-made tuxedo prepared by his daughter while attending the award ceremony," Shao said.

"He has prepared five outfits, including a tuxedo, Western-style suit and 'Mao suit,' for different activities," Shao added.

The Mao suit is a tunic suit popularized by China's revolutionary forerunner Dr Sun Yat-sen. It is known in the West as an icon of China and an Eastern counterpart to the Western business suit from 1950s to early 1980s.

Some netizens unhappy over the tuxedo have been trying different Chinese-style clothes on edited images of the author on the Internet, saying they would make him stand out.

One photo showed Mo in a loose-fitting robe worn by the Chinese for over 3,000 years before the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The writer has learned to waltz because Swedish king and queen will also attend the ceremony, set for December 10, Qilu Evening News reported.

Please read our Terms of Service. Messages that harass, abuse or threaten others; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or links may be removed.

SINA English is the English-language destination for news and information about China. Find general information on life, culture and travel in China through our news and special reports or find business partners through our online Business Directory. For investment opportunities with SINA, please click the link "Investor" below.